Apple's iPad goes on sale in the US this weekend, but UK gadget fans will have
to wait until the end of the month to get their hands on the must-have
device.

Apple has not given a definite date for the iPad's UK debut, but it is expected to hit shops by the end of April. Consumers will be able to choose between a Wi-Fi only model, and a device that combines Wi-Fi and 3G, allowing users to surf the internet using the mobile phone network. The iPad comes in three storage capacities – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

It is unclear how much the iPad will cost when it goes on sale in the UK. In the United States, prices start from $499 for the entry-level model, and it's likely that British consumers will pay around the same amount in sterling for the 16GB, Wi-Fi only iPad. Apple blames the US/UK price difference across its product line on the cost of "doing business" in the UK; the iPad is unlikely to be an exception to this rule.

For gadget fans who can't wait until the end of the month, the options are rather limited. Apple is delivering iPads to US postal addresses only, and if you haven't pre-ordered the device already, you won't be getting a unit on launch day. It means that by the time an iPad is in stock, delivered to friends or family in the US, and then forwarded on to you in the UK, the iPad could very well be in British shops already.

Our advice is to place a pre-order as soon as Apple makes the option available to British consumers - likely to be around a fortnight before the launch date - at which time pricing information will also be released. If the cost is significantly more in the UK than the US, and you can wait a few months for an iPad, it's worth considering buying one from an Apple Store on your next visit to the US.